I have been to DC over a hundred times in my life, but this particular trip was different from all the others. Perhaps it was because I had Margit asking things like: “What’s the name of your village?”. And while we were standing in the National Archives (loud enough for everyone to hear) she asks: “Constitution? What’s that?”. Or maybe it was because we borrowed the hotel bikes and helmets to bike around the city… and rang my bell at pedestrians when we passed them. Or maybe it’s because I couldn’t walk peacefully without being punched in the shoulder by Øyvind or Margit whenever they saw a yellow car… (which must be a lot less common in Norway)! Or maybe it was the help of Anna-Maria, our Magic 8 Ball. Or maybe it’s the combination of all of that, plus the 3G love that made it such a great trip.

On our first day in DC we hit all the monuments and memorials… even the unknown ones like the George Mason Memorial. Because we were on bikes, we covered a lot of ground and had enough time to have a yummy lunch at District Taco. After lunch we went into the Archives (which is where Margit embarrassed me by asking what The Constitution is in front of hundreds of tourists there to see The Constitution).

After circling The Capitol Building, we found a nice ant-infested area of the park to lay down and share some laughs.

The next day we went to the Zoo to see our monkey friends. Margit and I managed to lose Øyvind by the bears. He eventually found us, and we biked over to Dupont Circle to grab some lunch before hitting the museums.

After reaching our maximum brain-power for the day, we left the museums and made our way back to the hotel for another koselig evening together. I made fun of them for eating burgers with forks and knives, we destroyed a pint of Ben and Jerry’s, and we started to watch a movie before falling sound asleep.

A lot has changed since last year. I went from living in the mountains– going days without showering– to living on a college campus– where showering is expected. Okay, so I’m not arguing with people’s tendency to shower… in fact it’s quite nice. However, this whole “always looking presentable” thing is a pain in my ass. Girls show up to their 8am classes with makeup caked-on their faces. If they are trying to catch the attention of boys, well, they should realize no one is awake enough to notice how good (or bad) that smokey eye looks. In theory, I too wake up early enough to put some eyeliner on my half-awake eyes… but I spend my morning time differently. I eat my breakfast at an enjoyable speed, sit outside and breathe in the crisp air, or take some sunrise photos before heading to class. Okay, enough about how I’m cooler than you basic b’s, (…just kidding).

Don’t get me wrong… I too use makeup, and there’s nothing wrong with that. So onto the main point of this post– I am going to share with you what my makeup bag staples are. The brushes, pencils, and shadows I don’t leave without. You know, for those times I want to look presentable.

Alana did this make-up she is incredible talented!

Eye Brows

I’m special, and I get to draw my eyebrows in everyday! That means I can get funky, and make them any shape I want. Although I don’t do that… I stick to something pretty basic. First I use Maybelline Ultra-Brow Brush on Color. I’ve had this one container for over 3 years, so I’ve gotta say this product lasts forever– odds are you’ll lose it before it runs out. After applying the powder, I use a L’OREAL Brow Stylist pencil in a darker shade to give my brows more depth. (I’m trying to sound like I know what I’m talking about.)

Eyes

I like to start by applying black waterproof eyeliner. These day’s I’m using Sephora Retractable (matte black) liner. Most liquid eyeliners are too dark and intense for me, so this retractable pencil works great. It even has a built in sharpener to get those fine lines.

Next, I like to add a second liner above the black to soften it a little. Somedays I go with Sonia Kashuk (olive suede) Eye Definer which blends perfectly with the black liner. If I’m looking for a little more jazz, I’ll use Elizabeth Mott (pearl) Smooth Shadow. This is a pinkish shadow stick that has some sparkle– yes, I said sparkle. Although you wouldn’t consider me a sparkle gal, it’s nice to switch it up every once in a while.

I have yet to find the perfect eyeshadow. Lately I’ve been into Elf Eye Shadow Duo’s because they have two shades that work well together, and it’s affordable. Although I am not sold on the shadow, I have found the perfect brush. Antonym Cosmetics is a Ecocert certified cosmetic brand that makes eco-friendly makeup and brushes. Their brushes are made out of bamboo and are vegan! YES, VEGAN BRUSHES… (jaw drop.) Check out their website to learn more about them! I am using their Eye Shader Brush and am very close to investing in their travel set of brushes.

Lips

I hate the way lipstick feels on my lips. So I’ve been on the hunt for something that looks great and feels as natural as possible. I have tried a few lip stains, but those aren’t very forgiving, and although I like her videos, I try to avoid the Miranda Sings look. Antonym has another great product… their lipstick pencil. It goes on effortlessly and best of all feels like I’m wearing nothing! My only disappointment in this product is that there aren’t other color options– because we all know if there were I’d own them all.

Face

I don’t typically use foundation, and when I do it’s very mineral… I mean minimal. I have a set of bareMinerals powder that does the trick. My favorite is the Mineral Veil that keeps all the rest of my makeup lookin’ fine come 5 o’clock. I also use Revlon Nearly Naked Pressed Powder for those days I need a little extra under-the-eye coverage. Because I am no longer in that sweet Norwegian air, my cheeks sometimes fall pale. In which case I use a little bit of blush. I’d tell you what I use, but then I’d have to kill you. Just kidding, the blush container is so old all labels, names, logos and such are rubbed off. It’ll forever be a mystery.

Now for those of you dedicated enough to make it through this post, I give you props. I also give a huge shout out to Elizabeth Mott and Antonym Cosmetics for sharing their wonderful products with me. They have now become essential to beautifying my face!

P.S. If you’re thinking the whole purpose of this post was to have an excuse to share a bunch of selfies… you are correct.